TanHoldings, TSL Foundation donate $1M for relief efforts

TanHoldings Corp. president Jerry Tan, left, pledges yesterday to donate $1 million to the CNMI’s recovery efforts following Super Typhoon Yutu’s devastation in the Commonwealth. Receiving Tan’s donation is Gov. Ralph DLG Torres. The event took place at the lobby of Kanoa Resort, one of three hotels that TanHoldings Corp. owns in the CNMI. (Erwin Encinares)

One of the biggest conglomerates in the Western Pacific, TanHoldings Corp., together with its charitable arm, the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, pledged yesterday to donate $1 million to recovery efforts in the CNMI.

TanHoldings Corp. president and chief executive officer Jerry Tan presented Gov. Ralph DLG Torres yesterday at the Kanoa Resort lobby with a ceremonial check representing the corporation’s $1 million commitment that will be divvied up among the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter, Commonwealth Advocates for Recovery Efforts, and CNMI Mass Care.

The Red Cross will get $200,000 in cash, CARE is allotted $300,000, and CNMI Mass Care is allotted $200,000. The beneficiary of the remaining $300,000 has yet to be decided, according to Tan.

“We just picked the three organizations today, and it amounted to only $700,000,” Tan said. “How we would use the remaining $300,000 would be evaluated.”

“This is my home, our home. When we are faced with…this level of devastation, I believe we all need to step up and help our neighbors and our friends,” Tan added.

Tan explained that he chose the American Red Cross as a beneficiary because it is a leading non-government organization when it comes to disaster recovery.

“They deserve all the additional funding for them to do their jobs,” he said.

According to ARC executive director John Hirsh, there are two components that serve as “fuel” for the “engine” that is the Red Cross: human resources and donations.

“We are a volunteer organization and we couldn’t do it without the blood, sweat, and tears of our volunteers that are working hard everyday,” he said, adding that financial donations to the organization such as the $200,000 from TanHoldings was a big help for their operations, which include financial assistance to those affected by the typhoon.

CARE was also allotted money because of their efforts during Typhoon Soudelor’s recovery in 2015.

“…We just closed down Typhoon Soudelor rebuilding projects last August 2018. Here we are again [for Typhoon Yutu],” said CARE board vice chair Lauri Ogumoro. “Thankfully, we have experience on how things work, making it easier the second time around.”

TanHoldings Corp., in collaboration with the Guam Chamber of Commerce TSL Foundation, and CNMI Mass Care, would also be distributing an additional $50,000 worth of relief goods that include tarps, meals, tarps, and more.

Yesterday’s presentation was also attended by ranking officials of TanHoldings, the CNMI government, and many disaster relief organizations.